Pocket holding device



May 17,1938. F. w. TULLY POCKET HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1957 Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PAT ENZT' oral-es;

Application January 6,

3 Claims.

This invention relates tomeans for the reception' and retention of pens, pencils and the like, in position in a persons' pocket and in such away that they shall not be conspicuous.

Just as the Scrivener of old was immediately recognizable by his ink horn and quills, which were frequently slung at the belt,so today, is the average office worker signalized by an array of pens and pencils (often as formidable as an arsenal of guns or swords) protruding from his coat or waistcoat pocket.

some pens and pencils are provided with clips mounted so near to'the endithat when one is fastened in the pocket just a short portion shows above-it. But even with such arrangements, the ends occupy the opening. of the pocket, bulge it outwardly and arestill noticeable to a considerable extent.

In both cases, the positioning of the pen or pencildepends upon the-edgeof the pocketand the clip extends over the edge ontothe outside of the pocket so that it is more or less conspicuous at all'times and constitutes a badge-of ones trade which is not pleasing. At the same time ready access to pensand pencils isindispensable and neither the pockets of garments nor the pens or pencils themselves; as heretofore provided, permit of any other recourse than to clip them over the edge of the pocket or to carry them loose in the bottom of. the pocket. which presents other difiiculties. Furthermore, since the clip. portion is always exposed on the outside edge of the pocket, itis subjectto catching on things and flicking the pen or pencil out of the pocket accidentally. Such pencil clips also wear the edge of the pocket.

It is, therefore, an object of, this invention to provide means for properly holding pens or. pencils in position in the pocket and. at the same time completely out of sight. It is an object also to provide means easily and cheaply attached, in?- conspicuous in itself and without efiectuponthe comfort and appearance of the garment. or the use of the pocket for other things. Other objects will appear from the following disclosure.

By the present invention, the pocket of the garment, usually a coat or vest, havinga more -or less horizontal opening and extending vertically downward therefrom, is provided with a band of fairly stout, resilient material, perhaps an inch wide moreor less, which extends substantially horizontally along the inside of the pocket from one side to the other, a short distance below the opening. This bandmay be sewn to the inside of the pocketat eachend or 1937, Serial No. 119,239

may be held by the usual stitching along the margins of the pocket if it is built in when the pocket is made. Otherwise, it may be attached to the inside of the pocket in various ways, as by a thermoplastic cement. Both ends of the band may be attached to the inside of the front wall of the pocket or to the inside of the rear wall of the pocket. Again, the ends maybe attached, one to the front wall and one to-the rear wall of the pocket. In any one of these arrangements, the band may be slightly-shorter than the' distance between the two points on the cloth to which it is attached. In this way, the band tends to be drawn tight and the corresponding portion of the cloth ofthepocket to bepuckered and to be somewhat loose, in con sequence. In this way the puckered cloth of the pocket stands away from the band, leaving a free opening therebetween to receive the'clipof the pen or pencil, while the band is under tension,

thus holding it straight and resilient against the thrust of the clip or other fastenerr on the pen or pencil as it is pushed over'the bandto effect engagement therewith. And since the band is below the openingv of' the pocket, when the clip is thus engaged, thepen or'pencil can not" be seen, because the entire pen' or pencil and the clip also are below the opening and enclosed within the pocket.

When needed, the pen or pencil is easily reached and withdrawn, both from. the: pocket and from its engagement with the.band,.in a= single movement. At the same time it does not catch in things, such as outer garments or'with articles which one may be carrying, which could entangle the exposed clip devices,-such as the strings on bundles, scarves, or armloads of things whichare held against the body and may disengage the friction clips ordinarily relied upon, and either draw the pen or pencil out of the pocket or hold onto the object with which it has become" entangled.

A typical embodiment. of the device and examples of its practical application are shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a band of material and thermoplastic adhesive and reinforcing material applied thereto;

Fig. 2 shows the band of Fig. 1- folded and ready for application in the pocket, more especially for use in a garment alreadymade;

Fig. 3 shows the band. positioned transversely of the pocket and lying fiat. against the inside of the rear wall. of the pocket, a portion of the front Wall being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the pocket, showing the band attached so as to pucker the pocket wall beneath it, to which it is attached;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 in which both the band and the wall of the pocket to which it is attached lie flat together;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangements as shown in Fig. 3 (along the line 6-45 in the direction of the arrows) showing the pen or pencil, as it engages the band and is held in position thereby and completely within the pocket;

Fig. '7 shows a modification at each end of the pocket, in which the band is short and attached (at one end of the pocket) to the back Wall on one side and the other side to the front wall of the pocket, and (at the other end of the pocket) the band is attached at one end to the back of the pocket, curved into a U-shape and attached at the other end of the same side to the front wall of the pocket;

Fig. 8 shows a modified-form of band in which the upper edge of the band forms a slight catenary curve to prevent the tendency of the edge to curl over; and

Fig. 9 shows a modified form of band in which theupper edge is reinforced to prevent curling and yet thin enough to receive the usual clip device freely.

Referring to the drawing, the band I may be prepared in the form of a strip or ribbon of suitable material of sufficient stifiness or body, by coating with a thermoplastic composition on one side. From this strip a piece of suitable length, such as the individual band I, shown in Fig. 1, is cut, and corner portions 2, 2 are cut out. The shorter section 3 is then folded along the line 4 with the thermoplastic coating 5 over and upon the coating on the larger section 6 and aflixed thereto by heat and pressure.

A suitable thermoplastic composition for this purpose may be made by mixing, in dry pulverized condition, approximately equal parts of ethyl cellulose and a synthetic resin of low melting point such as orthopara toluene methylene sulfonamid, having a melting point of about 45 C. This may be dissolved and then diluted to the desired consistency with a solvent mixture as follows:

Per cent Ethyl acetate 5 Toluol 45 Ethyl alcohol 30 Dibutyl phthalate 20 This leaves the end portions I, l coated with the thermoplastic adhesive and exposed, as shown in Fig. 2.

The band is then slipped into the pocket, in the position in which it is desired to have it mounted, and fixed by applying a hot iron, under pressure, against it from the outside. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, it may be attached transversely along the inside of the back wall 8 of the pocket 9, in an approximately horizontal position and fiat against the pocket wall.

By making a fold or pleat in the cloth forming the wall of the pocket and applying the band across this pleated portion and then fixing it by heat and pressure as before, the tendency of the pocket wall to straighten out holds the band relatively taut, as shown in Fig. 4. At the same time the pocket wall is puckered as at E2 and stands away from the band somewhat, thus assuring a free opening 13 for the insertion of the clip portion M of the pen or pencil l5 as it is thrust into the pocket, as shown in Fig. 6. Ordinarily such extra space is not required, for when these parts are assembled fiat as in Fig. 5, there is sufiicient space for the clip, but the additional tension on the band is effective with some materials.

Since the band is positioned a sufiicient distance below the opening l6 of the pocket, the edge of the pocket closes over the top of the pen or pencil, after it is in place (as the garment is actually worn) not only covering it up but more securely holding it in the pocket.

In a similar way, one end of the band may be fastened to the front wall 9 and the other to the back wall 8, directly or diagonally across the pocket, as shown in Fig. '7 with a very short band. This draws the band across the end of the pocket and is especially convenient if the device is only called upon to carry a single pen or pencil. Or, a band may be thus placed in each end of the pocket, as in Fig. 7-one to carry a pen and the other a pencil, thus holding them apart and making it convenient to position the pen or pencil when putting it into or taking it from the pocket.

The band 25 may go across the pocket in a diagonal, as shown, being attached at one end to the front wall and the other to the back wall. If this is effected by adhesive, the adhesive will be applied to one side'of the band at one end 22 and to the other side of the band at the other end 23. The band, as shown at 24, may be like that shown in Fig. 2, having adhesive at both ends of the same side, 25, 26, one being affixed to the back wall 8 and the other to the front Wall 9 of the pocket, as shown in Fig. 7.

In either of these two modifications, it will be noted that the tendency of the pocket to taper toward the ends will serve to direct the pen or pencil as one inserts it into the pocket and presses it toward either end of the pocket. The same motion tends to expand the pocket and as the pen or pencil approaches the band, the latter is drawn across the pocket in front of it and tighter and tighter and hence firmer and firmer. When the body of the pen or pencil strikes the band and is pressed against it, the band will lie fiat against it. The clip l4 will extend over the top edge of the band, because one naturally holds the clip in the forward position, relative to the movement with which he thrusts it into his pocket. Now, in this position (with the thumb usually behind) the pen or pencil is thrust down, the spring clip M slipping over the band and engaging it in the usual way.

Either the diagonal or U-shaped arrangement of the band may be fixed in the pocket by sewing the ends as well as by adhesive. And the U- shaped end may face toward the center of the pocket or toward the end of the pocket. The various arrangements thus provided may be found useful in different types of pockets and with different kinds of materials of which the pockets and garments are made. For example, the U -shaped band might not be so desirable in garments of thin materials, because the fold prepointing in that direction (corresponding to the type of arrangement adopted) and then pushed downwardly, whereupon the clip is certain to engage and slip over the top edge of the band, being directed against it by the walls of the pocket.

While the thermoplastic material serves to stiffen and strengthen materials which might be too soft and fold or roll easily as the clip is thrust over it, it is to be understood that it will not be necessary with materials of sufficient firmness and body.

As above pointed out, the edge of the band is drawn taut by the wall or walls of the pocket to which it is attached. In addition to this, however, it may in some instances be helpful to have the upper edge of the band follow the lines of a catenary curve 21 between the points of attachment (Fig. 8) so that, as the clip is pushed over it, the thrust will be transmitted directly from this point to the points of attachment 28, 29 along the edge of the band, making the band resistant to rolling over at the edge and serving to draw it up under the clip and in firm engagement therewith.

To further reinforce the edge of the band, it may carry a binding cord or strip of cloth 3! over which it is folded at 3! and stitched as is shown at 32 (Fig. 9). A folded edge alone, which is stitched down or a folded edge reinforced by a second fold a short space from the edge so as to provide a wedge-shaped edge may also assist in both stifiening the edge of the band and more positively engaging and securing the clip after it is in place. If the band is made sufi'lciently wide to receive and engage the clip, the band maybe sewn to the pocket wall along its bottom edge, as well as at its ends, to advantage, but this is not necessary.

The holder as thus arranged permits one to carry one or more pens or pencils in his pocket, more securely than heretofore, and yet completely covered and concealed by the pocket. It thus avoids the conspicuous array of pens and pencils which must sometimes be carried by many people in the course of their daily occupation and which they would willingly "avoid, especially during those parts of the day when such instruments are not needed. It is easily provided in the course of making the pocket or after the garment and pocket are all finished, as above described. It is simple and yet certain in operation and secure in retaining pens or pencils within the pocket. It avoids the use of metals or other stiff materials, and functions without adjustments.

It will be clear from the foregoing that, although it is not so illustrated in the drawing and is not the preferred form of the invention,--that nevertheless, the band may be attached loosely to the pocket so as to pucker itself slightly and thus stand away from the wall of the pocket to which it is attached, It will also be understood that in the U-shaped modification shown in Fig. 7, whether the U may bow inwardly of the pocket or outwardly toward the end of the pocket,-both arrangements present certain advantages, in attaching the pen or pencil thereto and in the security with which the attachment resists the effects of use and wear.

It is also to be understood that the band may be made of various materials, within the above description, though in general textiles will be preferable and the bands of the desired resiliency and firmness at the edges to receive the clip, of the desired body to prevent the band from buckling or folding over as the clip strikes it and of sufficient give and roughness to make the clip bind and cling after it has been thrust into position.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pocket and a holder therein to engage the clips of pencils, fountain pens and the like, comprising a firm, resilient nonmetallic band, of sufiicient width and thickness to receive the clip on the pencil or pen, and attached at its ends transversely within the pocket by a thermoplastic adhesive at a point sufiiciently below the opening and leaving an unattached portion intermediate of the ends, thereby to receive the pen or pencil and hold it completely within the pocket and obscured from view.

2. A holder to engage the clips of pencils, fountain pens and the like, comprising a firm, resilient, stiffened band of ribbon, of suflicient width and thickness to receive the clip on the pencil or pen, and coated on each end with a thermoplastic adhesive composition, leaving an uncoated space intermediate of the ends, thereby to provide for attachment of the band, at its ends, transversely within the pocket and below the opening thereof and to leave an unattached portion to receive the pen or pencil.

3. A holder to engage the clips of pencils, fountain pens and the like, comprising a firm, resilient band, composed of a tightly folded strip of ribbon containing stifiening material within the fold and coated on each end with a thermoplastic adhesive composition, leaving an uncoated space intermediate of the ends, thereby to render the same stiifly resilient and provide for attachment at its ends transversely to the inside of the pocket and below the opening thereof and to leave an unattached portion to receive the pen or pencil.

FRANCIS W. TULLY. 

